i got my snows on now - 195/50-16 dunlop graspic gs-2's on stock alloys. its nice having a car with throttle response again after running my old steelie's with big all seasons for the last month. and even on snow's, the car handles much better now too.

 

I have a 70 mile round trip commute on rte81 to Syracuse everyday and that can get pretty hairy in the winter. Plus, I live on a hill and seem to be one of the few people who don't feel they need an SUV to get up and down it...seems to me the snows are a lot cheaper and a lot more fun than an SUV...

Oh and how funny is it for me to see all the SUV's littering the highway in the winter as people learn (or maybe not) that four wheel drive doesn't mean squat when you are driving on ice, and changing lanes with a high center of gravity...

 

^^ or when you try to stop :P

 

I bought some Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2s for my 3 that I put on my stock wheels and they are the best tires I have ever driven with in the snow. My tires are 17's but they might be offered in 18s.

 

Just wanted to drop a quick note that 16in steels fit just fine on my MazdaSpeed3. I bought a winter tire package from www.tirerack.com. I bought some continental's, but that was with some bias behind it ::cough cough my job cough::.

Even though they're steel rims, they're black and so is my paint job... so I'm gonna keep it. I think it looks slick...

 

I use Nokian 205/50/17 on my MPS.Pics in profile.

 

Picked up a 3 speed this past Spring as well. Just ordered 4 x 215/45R-18 Michelin X-Ice Xi2 for 600 beans. Added the Kazera wheels because steel wheels look very stupid on this car. Tire Rack.com

I have no idea if these Michelin's are the best. I do know that Michelin makes a great tire and they still throw the all seasons on alot of our foreign and domestics.

I spent the xtra ching on winter tires because all season are NOT winter and that is very important for the performance of a car whose horsepower out weighs itself on crappy, slippery conditions. Spend 1400.00 now on good winter tread and wheels or take a hell of a chance on spending 3 or 5 grand repairing your car and possibly risking your safety with these boneheads on the Twin City freeways.

Your choice. Drive fast and safe!

 

I called the Tire Rack and they set me up with a set of Blizzacks on steel rims and the car goes anywhere. I don't believe stock mazda 3 rims will fit the speed3.

 

I didn't go with the alloy cause in a year or two they'll look like crap. When the car is covered with salt and snow I would rather go thru it than look good, also remember the narrower the better in tread width for snows, it's all about PSI.